Challenges in modelling the seismic response of RC walls

Abstract

Recent earthquakes have clearly demonstrated that many key mechanisms of the seismic response of RC structural walls are still not adequately understood. To improve the knowledge about RC walls, adequate numerical models are needed. A robust macro MVLEM-FD-SFI element has been developed at the University of Ljubljana. It can be efficiently used to model very complex axial-flexural-shear interactions which are typical of the seismic response of many RC walls. The element was evaluated by several experiments that were selected for case studies within the International Wall Institute. The element MVLEM-FD-SFI can capture different aspects of the global response very well, e.g., it can describe the buckling of the longitudinal bars as well as the significant degradation of different shear mechanisms.